


Tether

by m_class



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: (I feel like we need a The Mirrorverse Is The Warning tag, Arguments, Character Study, Established Relationship, F/F, Pre-Canon, a la the The Pairing Is The Warning tag), mentions of violence/torture, power differential, unhealthy relationship dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 07:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21316090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m_class/pseuds/m_class
Summary: Prompt: "I'm glad we're talking now because we have some shit that needs talking about."
Relationships: Mirror Gabrielle Burnham/Mirror Philippa Georgiou
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Tether

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tincanspaceship](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tincanspaceship/gifts).

> A (somewhat belated) thank you for tincanspaceship for beta-ing a scene of Almost Autumn last year! Thank you!
> 
> She gave three options out of the pairings I was down to write + three prompts from Alice Isn’t Dead to choose from (prompt list [here](https://parismemes.tumblr.com/post/187963513025/sentence-starters-from-alice-isnt-dead-7)), and I picked burniou + this one :) 
> 
> This was, uh, intended to be a drabble, but writing a quadruple drabble turned out to be CHALLENGE ENOUGH; one hundred words is so few words to create something coherent out of what the hECK and kudos to those of you who do them regularly o_O

“Talk fast, Pippa,” Gabrielle says, leaning back against the grubby spaceport window. “That is, if you have anything to say that’s worth hearing.” She shrugs. “Otherwise, you can run back to your machinations and your scheming and your precious  _ duty _ to the Empire, and leave me to  _ my _ work.”

“If I have anything to say that’s—dammit, Gabrielle, I track you and your  _ work _ to the edge of the quadrant and you still can’t be anything but flippant?”

“Are you sorry you found me, then?” Gabrielle smirks, raising an eyebrow. “That you have me here, in the flesh, rather than the  _ me _ you imagine?”

“No, I’m glad we’re talking.” Philippa steps forward, letting a bit of a snarl into her voice. "I'm glad we're talking now because we have some shit that needs talking about."

Gabrielle ignores the motion, disinterest dripping from her voice as she glances down at her gold-plated wristwatch. “Do we really?” 

Philippa knows she should calibrate; play Gabrielle’s game; saunter back and lean her hip against the doorway and put on her most bored drawl. Instead, she takes another step forward, gritting her teeth against the scream or maybe sob that is trying to rise within her. 

“Would it really kill you to take duty seriously? To care about your responsibility to the Empire? Your responsibility to anything?”

“Ah, Admiral Georgiou and her  _ responsibilities _ ,” Gabrielle sneers. “Not all of us tether ourselves to our desks and our blades, Admiral. Or plan to do so for others.”

“Not even for one who might someday be your Emperor?” Philippa hisses.

Gabrielle tips her head back and laughs. “You  _ really _ think you have what it takes to go all the way without finding a knife in your back, Pippa? And that’s the least painful option your competitors might have in store.” She shakes her head. “You really think that someday we’ll all bow to an  _ Emperor _ Georgiou?”

In her stiletto-heeled boots, Philippa has a centimeter or two on Gabrielle. She takes another step forward, getting in Gabrielle’s face. “Afraid?”

Gabrielle glances up at Philippa through her lashes, a flicker of warmth suddenly touching her eyes. “For you.”

And Philippa finds that it’s easy now, somehow, to let coldness rise in her own voice as she takes a step back. “Give your worry to someone more deserving, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle stares at her a long moment. “All right, Admiral. Perhaps I will.”


End file.
